Working with Partners to Reach Underserved Communities
Meet Matthew Petty, an assistant district director in our Portland, Oregon district office.
Like his Wage and Hour Division colleagues across the country, Matthew is deeply committed to serving underserved communities through multilingual outreach efforts . His dedication extends to fostering impactful partnerships with stakeholders in the Portland area.
A Journey in Language and Culture
At 16, Matthew started learning Russian with the National Security Language Initiative for Youth program, sponsored by the 美国国务院 , aimed at fostering critical foreign language study in the U.S. He furthered his skills through university programs in Russia and later served as a Fulbright English Teaching Assistant in Tajikistan and a Peace Corps volunteer in Georgia, continuing to develop his proficiency in Russian.
Community Partnerships for Effective Outreach
Matthew collaborates closely with organizations like the Slavic Community Center of NW, Inc. , ensuring targeted outreach efforts. Their joint initiatives produce multilingual resources and videos tailored to diverse communities. Recently, they developed 11 workers’ rights videos that cover issues like minimum wage, overtime pay, child labor laws and common violations among employers in Russian with Ukrainian captions.
Breaking Down Language Barriers
In addition to his fluency in Russian, Matthew ensures access to vital services and real-time communication in over 200 languages through the Wage and Hour Division’s interpretation services. His commitment to breaking down language barriers and raising cultural awareness empowers individuals from all backgrounds to navigate and access support, ensuring that language is never a barrier to essential information.
Upholding Workers’ Rights Across the Country
The federal labor laws we enforce protect over 165 million workers at 11 million workplaces in every corner of the country. That’s why approximately 40% of our investigators are multilingual, enabling us to communicate effectively with people throughout America’s diverse workforce. Upholding the rights of all workers , regardless of their language or cultural background, is one of the keys to advancing equity and achieving our mission.
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We’re stronger together. ?? Great work, Matthew!